


Role Reversal

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:00:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: A post-series established relationship fic... Tommy and Barbara have always had a slightly unconventional partnership
Relationships: Barbara Havers/Thomas Lynley
Comments: 30
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended

“Tommy? Have you seen my keys?”

“Where did you last see them?”

“If I knew that I wouldn’t be asking if you’d seen them.”

I hurried down the stairs and pressed a set of keys into her hand, “take the Bristol, I’ll look for your keys while you’re out.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” Kissing me briefly, she flew out the door.

I watched her go with a smile on my face. Although she sometimes brought chaos into my life, she also brought me more happiness than I could ever have imagined experiencing.

“Well standing around here won’t get things done. Now, if I were Barbara, where would I leave my keys?”

An hour later I was on my knees searching through the laundry basket.

“Looking for a clean bra?”

I grinned at Barbara’s cheek, ‘no, I’m still looking for your keys… what’s this?”

As I pulled a jeweller’s ring box from her fleece pocket Barbara’s face paled.

“It’s nothing.” She tried to snatch it from my hand, however I kept it out of her reach.

“Your behaviour says the opposite.”

I wasn’t angry, but Barbara was acting in a very un-Barbara-like manner. She sank down next to me.

“You’re going to think I’m stupid.”

“Try me.”

“Okay but promise me you won’t laugh.”

“I won’t laugh.”

“Please give me the box.”

As I placed it in her outstretched hand, I could see she was trembling. Whatever she was about to say was obviously important to her, even if she had tried to convince me otherwise. I waited patiently for her to speak.

“You know I’m not very good at talking about feelings and emotions, but I hope you're aware of just how important you are to me, how much I love you.”

Her voice faded to almost a whisper as she said the last three words.

“I feel the same.”

She swallowed deeply, “I know, which is why I bought this. It isn’t February the 29th, but we’ve never been exactly traditional in anything we do.” She flipped the box open and held it out to me. “Thomas Lynley, will you marry me?”


	2. Chapter 2

It seemed as if the silence was going on for an eternity. I began to think I had read the whole situation wrong, that despite Tommy’s words of reassurance, he didn’t love me, and he didn’t see his future entwined with mine. I wanted to take back what I had said. No, worse than that, I wanted to run.

I scrambled to my feet, tears beginning to escape as my stomach tied itself in knots.

God, I had been such an idiot.

“Yes.”

That one word stopped me dead in my tracks, but I couldn’t face him.

“Sorry?”

I hated that my voice sounded frail and broken, that it betrayed my emotions, but I didn’t have the energy to fight it.

“I said yes. Yes, I love you. Yes, I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Yes, I will marry you.”

“Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.”

He moved to stand in front of me, and when I didn’t look at him, he hooked a finger under my chin and raised my head.

“I mean it. If I took a while to answer it’s because you surprised me.” I opened my mouth to speak but closed it rapidly when he shook his head. “Yes, you surprised me, but it was a good surprise.”

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.” He tugged me close, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my hair. I slid my arms around his waist and closed my eyes.

“I do have another question.”

“Which is?”

“Did you manage to find my keys?”

“Why you little…”

Both of us laughing, he chased me up the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insanity is about to strike... I am doing this... and NaNo... and working... during a newly announced 2nd national lockdown... *faints*

I woke when I felt something cool sliding onto my ring finger. Opening my eyes, I smiled at her affectionately.

“In all the excitement I forgot about the ring.” Raising my hand, I gazed at the black and platinum band with a small single diamond set in it. “You have good taste.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d like it, what with you being traditional.”

“Is that you trying to politely say I’m old fashioned?”

“No!”

I quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Okay… maybe… I mean, your taste in cars, is…um, how can I put this tactfully?”

“How many times do I need to tell you, my cars, they’re…”

“Classics.”

“Either I’m predictable or you know me so well.”

“I should hope that I do know you well after all this time.”

“There’s one thing about me that you definitely don’t know.” I slid out of bed.

“Where are you going?” I could hear concern in her voice and did my best to reassure her.

“Patience my love. I’ll only be a moment. Keep the bed warm.”

Ducking into my dressing room, I retrieved something from my underwear drawer and then headed back to bed.

“Close your eyes and give me your hand.”

“Tommy?” There was that concern again.

“Do you trust me Barbara?”

“Implicitly.”

“Then close your eyes and give me your hand.”

Once I was sure she wasn’t peeking, I placed a small jewellery box in her palm.

“You can open your eyes now.”

Cracking the box open, she gasped.

“Tommy!”

“Seems like we both had the same idea, only you managed to beat me to it.”

“You were going to propose?”

“Of course. There was no way I was letting you go, not when it took me nearly ten years to stop being a bloody idiot.”

“You’ve stopped? I can’t say I’ve noticed.”

“And I can’t think of an appropriate response to that.”

“Lord Asherton, lost for words? Well, there’s a first. How about you put the ring on my finger and then we get back to celebrating?”

“That works for me.”

I removed the platinum and emerald ring from the box and slid it onto her ring finger before kissing her hard. She responded in kind, and we soon became lost in each other and the moment.


	4. Chapter 4

Tommy held my hand as we ran down the steps of the registry office towards the Bristol. He pinned me up against the side of it, kissing me hard until we were breathless.

“So, Lady Asherton, are you happy?”

“Happy? That seems such an insignificant word for how I’m feeling right now.”

“Which word or words would you use?”

“Can I just show you instead?”

“What? Here? Now?”

“Only if you want our faces plastered all over the news and your mother dying of shame. No, I was thinking that we should head home and start our wedding night.”

“At three pm?”

“Are you going to keep throwing obstacles in my path or are you going to give me the keys so I can drive us home?”

“You’re driving the Bristol?”

I wrapped myself around him, stroking his chest and batting my eyes at him. “You’ve let me drive her before, and I’ve always returned her to you in pristine condition. Plus, why would I do anything to risk the safety of my new husband? You can trust me with your pride and joy, I promise.”

“The Bristol’s a she now?”

“And you had an Eton education! All ships, planes and cars are referred to as female. Anyway, I thought we were heading home. At this rate our wedding night will be a complete write off!”

Shaking his head, he rescued the keys from his pocket and pressed them into my hand. “Please drive carefully.”

“Don’t worry Tommy, I know the old lady will always come first in your affections.”

~*~

Barbara brought the Bristol to a gentle standstill outside the townhouse.

“There you go. Safely home and not a scratch on either of you.”

“I didn’t doubt you for a second.”

“I have absolutely no idea how you can say that with a straight face.”

“Years of practice during meetings with our various superior officers.”

“If we have to continue this debate, can we do it indoors upstairs, and preferably with no clothes on?”

“Hmmm, that sounds like an interesting proposal.”

“Then let’s make it a reality!”

Scrambling out of the car, Barbara fumbled with locking it, while I fumbled equally with the front door. Eventually we met in the hall, kicking the door closed behind us, then kissing and shedding clothes as we made our way upstairs to the now marital bed.

Tumbling onto it, our breathing become heavier as our passion increased and we gave in to the feelings that had been simmering inside us from the moment we had said the words ‘I do’.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for Germanlibi... hopefully her emojis will get a night off 
> 
> 🥰

“Your mother is going to kill us.”

“That’s a slightly dramatic reaction.”

“No, it’s honesty. We’re going to go in there, tell her we’re married, and she’s going to kill us.”

“Never in all the time I have known her, even during our period of estrangement, has my mother killed anyone.”

“Have any of her children run off and married in a local registry office.”

“No, but…”

“There is no but. This is going to be the shortest marriage in history.”

“You’re worrying about nothing Barbara, I promise you. And, even if she does get angry, I’ll be the one she yells at, not you. Now, come on, we can’t sit in the car all day.”

“Why not, it’s warm and comfortable.”

“Barbara, it will be fine.”

I wasn’t reassured but followed his lead and got out of the car. As we walked towards the front door, he took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. I smiled at him, but I wished I shared his confidence.

As we entered the hall Dorothy appeared.

“Tommy, Barbara, it’s lovely to see you.”

“It’s lovely to see you too Lady Asherton.”

“Hello Mother.”

“I keep telling you Barbara, it’s Dorothy. I’ve asked Nancy to serve tea in the family room, you must be ready for refreshments after the long drive.”

“Thank you.”

Tommy squeezed my hand again. “You’re learning Mother. One should never stand between Barbara and a cup of tea.”

I glared at him as we followed Dorothy. He guided me to the couch, before pouring us all a tea. Once he had handed them out, he sat next to me.

“So, what have you two been up to? Tommy said on the phone you had news.”

I cleared my throat but couldn’t find my voice. Luckily, Tommy spoke for both of us.

“Barbara and I got married a couple of weeks ago.”

I held my breath, waiting for her to erupt, but she didn’t. Instead an expression of delight lit up her face.

“You did? Oh, that’s so wonderful. You must tell me all about it.”

_…Tommy looked at his watch. “Are you sure that Winston and Stuart know what time they are supposed to be here?”_

_“I told them half an hour earlier than needed, just to make sure.”_

_He hugged me to him and kissed my forehead. “You never cease to amaze me.”_

_“I’ve had plenty of practice remember.”_

_“Put her down Lynley, she’s not your wife just yet. Hello Barbara, still time to back out if you want to, the bike’s right out front.”_

_“I don’t want to back out, thank you Stuart, so please play nicely.” I turned to face Winston. “Hi Winnie.”_

_“Barb, Sir.” He looked around, seeming in awe of the building. “Are you sure I’m not underdressed for this?”_

_“You look fine, so please stop worrying. Tommy and I deliberately chose a registry office wedding because I didn’t want to look like one of those toilet roll hiding dolls. There’s going to be enough of that in my future as it is, thank you very much!”_

_“How much do I have to pay you to get photos of her all dolled-up Tommy?”_

_“There’s not enough money in the world for me to do that to Barbara.”_

_“Shame, I think mailing one to Tony Philips would be quite interesting.”_

_“While I would take great delight in rubbing that sanctimonious git’s face in my marriage, I hate to think what he’d do with a photograph of me.”_

_“He’s not getting one. End of.”_

_I leant against Tommy’s side, my arm around his waist. “I love it when you get possessive of me, but can we save it for when we’re alone.”_

_Stuart covered his ears with his hands. “Please! There are some things my delicate sensibilities don’t need to know about.”_

_“Is it too late to find another witness?”_

_“Yes, it is. Stuart, this is mine and Tommy’s wedding day. I know you take great delight in winding each other up, but could you at least pretend to like each other for the next hour, please?”_

_“Sorry Barbara, sorry Lynley, I’ll behave.”_

_“Thank you…”_

“Poor you Tommy. At least you had Barbara to stand up for you.”

“I always do Dorothy, but he has got a lot better at holding his own against Stuart Lafferty.”

“Did he manage to behave himself during the ceremony?”

“I think he was too scared of Barbara not to.”


	6. Chapter 6

Pushing up from the sofa, Tommy got to his feet. “If you ladies will excuse me, I need to use the facilities. Don’t talk about me while I’m gone.”

As soon as he left the room Dorothy turned to me. “Barbara, I am so happy that you and Tommy finally woke up to the fact that you love and need each other. You bring out the best in my son, so thank you.”

“I’ll let you into a little secret Dorothy, I was the one who proposed.”

She clapped her hands in delight. “You must tell me more.”

“Well, it all started when I lost my keys…”

I stood outside the family room door listening as Barbara regaled Mother with the story of our engagement. I was thrilled that they were getting on so well but thought I had better rejoin them before someone sent out a search party.

I strode into the room. “What have I missed?”

“Barbara was just telling me the story of your engagement.”

“Ah, I see, and where has she got to?”

“I’ve told your mum all of it, except for the part where you still hadn’t found my keys.”

“Yes, the fact I hadn’t somewhat spoiled the romantic atmosphere.”

“As if! You chased me upstairs into the bedroom.”

“I was trying to take your mind off my failings”

“First you say Lafferty was too scared of me to misbehave in the ceremony, and now this. Are you trying to say that I’m intimidating and scary?”

Sitting back down next to her, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, “no, I’m saying that you can be frightening when you’re in full flow, but as it is normally when you are defending me…”

“You approve of my behaviour. Thank you for enabling me.”

My lips brushed her forehead, “my pleasure.”

“So, Barbara, did he take you anywhere romantic for the honeymoon?”

I snorted in a most un-earl-like manner. Barbara gazed up at me, a cheeky grin on her face.

“You have something you want to say?”

“We didn’t go anywhere Mother, because a certain Mrs. Lynley wouldn’t commit to any destination I suggested.”

“That’s not strictly true, we did finally manage to settle on somewhere.”

The expression of amusement on my Mother’s face told me she was enjoying the storytelling. “Where did you two agree on?”

“He got so frustrated with me that he shouted, ‘well we might as well stay at bloody home then’, and I replied, ‘finally somewhere I want to go!’”

“We ended up spending a fortnight at home, only getting out of bed to retrieve takeaways from the doorstep.”

“And enjoying every minute of it, far more than if we’d gone to some posh five-star resort.”


	7. Chapter 7

Lying on the bed on my stomach flicking through a magazine, I heard the door to the en-suite open. Glancing up I let out a wolf-whistle as Tommy appeared, a towel slung low on his hips. 

“See something you like Mrs. Lynley?”

I looked him up and down, “well, it’s not chocolate cake, but it comes a very close second.”

He flopped down next to me, “you know how to make a man feel really special.”

“I come second to the Bristol, you come second to chocolate cake. We both know our places in the pecking order.”

“In that case, I am honoured to come second.”

“Which is something that might be happening later, if you’re a very good boy.”

“Lady Asherton!”

“Yes, that is one of the many titles I answer to. Did you want something?”

“You’re quite the little minx tonight.”

“And you’re complaining because?”

“Oh, I’m not complaining, I’m definitely not complaining.”

“Good. Because if you’re complaining I’d have to send you to the naughty step, and there are things I’d much rather be doing… with you and to you.”

“Really?”

“You sound surprised. Have I not been attentive in my wifely duties?”

“As I said, I have no complaints.”

I tossed my magazine onto the floor, then straddled Tommy, bracing my hands on his chest.

“That’s good to know.”

He started to undo the belt to my robe, “but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.”

I slapped his hands away. “Room for improvement? I’ll give you bloody room for improvement, especially as not five seconds ago you said you weren’t complaining.”

Rolling us, Tommy pinned me to the bed.

“I’m not complaining, I wouldn’t dare. But you have to admit, no matter how good we get Barbara, there’s always going to be room for improvement.”

“You’re really lucky I love you. Now, how about you shut up and kiss me already.”

He lowered his head until his lips hovered just above mine. “Kissing you is only the start.”


End file.
